Seder Has Women's Perspective

April 22, 2005|Lisa Bolivar Special Correspondent

An unknown man once said a woman belongs on the bema about as much as an orange belongs on a Seder plate.

And because of this assertion, Jewish women created a new tradition: a Women's Seder for Passover that has resulted in a different take on the annual celebration of the Jewish people's freedom from Pharaoh.

Joan Florsheim of Davie led a Women's Seder, or dinner, celebration for about 70 members of the Florida-Broward Region of Hadassah Zionist women's organization April 7 at Plantation's Volunteer Park Community Center.

Changes have been made to the traditional Passover Seder plate, said Florsheim.

"We include what they call Miriam's cup, but this is done in traditional Seders now, too," Florsheim said. "There's a story that when one of the feminist leaders wanted to go onto the bema (pulpit) to lead a service, one of the men replied `A woman belongs on the bema as much as an orange belongs on the Seder plate,' so we put an orange on the Seder plate to show women are as good as the men."

Traditional Seder plates contain five standard elements; haroseth, a mixture of fruit and nuts and honey; parsley dipped in salt water, roasted eggs, a shank bone and bitter herbs such as horseradish.

Passover is an eight-day observance in which Jews retell the story of their Exodus from Mitzrayim, or "Land of Bondage," now called Egypt.

It is a time for family gatherings when special foods, songs and customs are observed during the Jewish month of Nissan.

This year's Passover begins Saturday at sundown.

While a cup of wine for the prophet Elijah is standard on a Seder table, it may now be accompanied by a cup of water in remembrance of Miriam, Moses' sister.

Miriam is associated with water because legend said she had a well following her across the desert, Florsheim said.

There also have been changes made to the Haggadah, or script that is read during the Seder ceremony, said Dr. Elise Leonard.

Leonard, who lives in Coral Springs and practices ophthalmology in Sunrise, recently led another Women's Seder at Temple Beth Torah in Tamarac.

"The role of women in the traditional Haggadah is virtually absent, and women played a very large part in the story of the Exodus," she said.

"It was a way to assert the voice of women in exploring the role of women in the Exodus story," she said. "Miriam is the primary female character ... and for most men and women who have never been to a women's Seder, she is the only women who was really known."

But while traditional Passover celebrations retell the story of the parting seas and the struggle to make it to freedom in a patriarchal manner, the feminine Seders should not pose a threat to centuries-old tradition, Florsheim said.

"It's a feminist stand, but there's nothing that is anti-masculine; It's not a bra burning," she said. "It's a chance to celebrate women, which in traditional Judaism isn't done as it might be."

As these women celebrate the female contribution to their heritage, the Sisterhood of the Sunrise Jewish Center is sponsoring a more traditional observance.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Sunrise temple will open its doors to the community for Passover, the Seder to be lead by Rabbi Sherman Kirshner.

While the rabbi is officiating, there still is a significant female contribution to the ceremony.

Racquel Salka, 76, has been hand making about 300 place cards for several days in preparation of the meals.

"I remember when my grandparents made a Seder and my grandfather ruled the roost on the Seder part, but if it wasn't for my grandmother cooking all the food, there wouldn't be a Seder," she said.